We are proud to work with our education partners, Leading Children and Chapter One.
Research shows that during the initial school closures in 2020, 3 in 5 children and young people said that reading made them feel better. 3 in 10 said that reading helped them when they feel sad because they cannot see their family and friends.
Because low literacy is intergenerational, our education partners focus their work on families, young people and children.
Working with Leading Children
Through our partnership with education consultancy, Leading Children, we have supported the development and delivery of a Reciprocal Reading training programme to teachers at local schools in the Bradford area. This programme helps teachers to improve the quality of their teaching and uses specialist strategies to help children who might be a little slower to grasp some concepts to feel more engaged in lessons. This not only builds confidence but also ensures engagement and therefore learning.
Working with Chapter One
Working with Chapter One - who believe that the ability to read is the fundamental skill that underpins every child’s future educational attainment and helps them to fulfil their potential, to contribute to their community and ultimately to gain employment. Its core reading programme, which uses a unique, online platform to pair volunteers with children in need of reading support, has been proven to improve the reading enjoyment, ability and confidence of children from disadvantaged communities.
Chapter One volunteers use a bespoke internet platform and a voice connection to link – from their workplace or home – to a dedicated classroom laptop for 30 minutes a week, during the school day, over an entire academic year. The web-based platform offers a library of 250 stories organised according to ability and a range of fun, engaging activities that keep even the most reluctant readers engaged.
During 2024, 34 Vanquis volunteers supported 36 children through the Chapter One programme in Horton Grange Primary School in Bradford, The Orion Primary School in London, Chyngton Primary School in East Sussex, Welbourne Primary School in Peterborough, and Maryland Primary School in Rochdale. As a consequence, children have benefited from 168 hours of one to one reading time and progressed by 3.7 levels in their reading.
"By volunteering, our colleagues can make a positive impact on a child’s education journey from their desk at work or the comfort of their own home. It saddens me that some children don’t have a single reading book at home. Every child deserves the opportunity to develop a love for reading, and it’s heartbreaking to think that a lack of resources could hinder their development”.
Lorraine Handley, Social Impact Programme Manager